Consolation Prize
by whack sparrow
Summary: AU oneshot - at college, instead of Foaly, Opal wins the Science Prize and manages to cheer up the sulking centaur.


**Just a one-shot idea that came into my head that I really enjoyed writing. **

* * *

"And the winner," the burly gnome announced, "with the incredibly versatile DoubleDex wings, is Opal Koboi!"

Opal's expression was one of pure joy, quite rare for her. She didn't - couldn't - hold back her smile as she went up to collect the prize. It wasn't even _about _the prize though, she was out to prove what she could do. Prove to first, her father, then her teacher and lastly an overconfident Foaly that hell, she was good at what she did.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the sullen look on his face and her grin widened of its own accord.

He already knew he'd lost when he'd been announced as a runner-up, but she knew the real kicker for him was her coming first. Call it schadenfreude or a result of fierce rivalry, but she was damn pleased.

And it was a cash prize to boot - well that was just a bonus.

* * *

Foaly was sulking in his dorm when she dropped by.

"Come in," he called out at the knock on the door, and he had a suspicion of who it would be. "Ugh."

She waltzed in. "Hey."

"Come to gloat?"

"Well... yes."

He scowled.

"You would do the same," she shrugged and shut the door slowly behind her.

He smiled faintly. "Guess so." He waved a hand, gesturing for his rival and grudging friend to sit down. "I suppose if anyone deserves it apart from me..."

"You did come second," she ventured.

"Coulda gone either way," he answered. "How much did you win?"

She brushed some hair out of her face. "It's a subsidy. I got a free patent for the wings and the means to produce a first batch."

He raised an eyebrow. "I thought it was a cash prize."

"I got a choice, cash upfront or subsidy and you know what I need more."

He lounged back in his chair as his computer went to screensaver. "Are you going to jumpstart your business then?"

She nodded. "My Dad wants me in the family business, I say screw him. Much rather start my own."

"What will you call it?" He stared at the floor.

"Koboi Industries," she shot back without missing a beat. She'd been planning this for a long time.

He rolled his eyes. "Now that's just _too _creative."

Her eyes went glassy as she stared up at the ceiling. "Tell me you can't imagine it. Koboi Industries, the brand name of the future. I'll be everyone's supplier. The police need wings, hell, some sprites need 'em too. And everyone likes flying. That's only the start, though. I could go into security, computers and even weapons."

Foaly tried not to lose himself in the fact that that very dream was his dream too. They were one and the same in ambition, no wonder they were so competitive. "I'll make it too," he boasted.

"The iris-cam isn't so bad," she agreed. "Perfect for surveillance."

In response, he plucked a small device no larger than a contact lens from his own eye. "You bet."

She faked a yawn, although she was smiling. "Oh please."

"My company will be named so much cooler, like FoalyTech or something. We'll be direct competitors," he continued. "We'll dominate the market."

She caught on. "Well, I wouldn't say no to a duopoly..."

"You wouldn't be able to resist," he said animatedly, swiveling in his chair. "I'd approach you at a restaurant, probably Marv's diner. I'd come in a super-fancy taxi with my own chauffeur."

"You would be wearing sunglasses inside," she added. "Typical dork fashion."

He sat up. "Hey, you would probably have some incognito business suit and earpiece, which is equally bad."

Opal giggled slightly. "Nobody would suspect a thing. We'd fix prices like there's no tomorrow. The waiter would bring us garden salad and champagne while we screw his employer's investors a dozen times over in one sitting."

Foaly raised a dramatic finger. "The world," he drawled, feeling intoxicated as he watched her laugh, "would be our oyster. Say the word, Opal."

"Collusion," she murmured dreamily, delighted.

"I love it when you talk dirty to me," he grinned. And suddenly it was awkward and she wasn't laughing.

"Too far," she rolled her eyes. "Leave it to you, Foaly."

He scratched his head, trying to think of something to say to fill the silence that had suddenly descended. It wasn't hostile, but it felt a little uncomfortable. Hell, they'd been having such fun a moment ago...

"Well for what it's worth," he began, "Congratulations."

"Thanks." She flashed her smile again, and this time, leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek that sent his mind spinning and raised a heated blush to his cheeks and ears that she couldn't miss even if she'd had his iris-cam stuck in her eye.

Then she was out of the room and he was watching her leave and she might as well have had wings of her own, because he was _hopeless_...

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**ty 4 readin, pls revue**


End file.
